We were staring at a stubbornly high cart abandonment rate and a checkout funnel that leaked potential customers at every step. After trying discounts, copy changes, and faster shipping badges, one small change to our checkout experience delivered a surprise: a clear 25% lift in completed orders.
This post walks through the single tweak that moved the needle, why it worked, how we implemented it on Shopify, what the data looked like, and practical steps you can take to test the same idea on your store.
The Tweak: Enable and Prominently Place Accelerated Checkout Buttons
The exact change was simple: enable Shopify’s accelerated checkout options (Apple Pay, Google Pay, and PayPal where available) and move the payment buttons above the fold on product and cart pages so customers can complete purchase with one tap. Instead of forcing shoppers through multiple form fields, we gave mobile and desktop users a fast, secure one-click path that pre-populates shipping and payment details.
Why it matters: on mobile, typing credit card and address details is a major conversion friction point. Accelerated wallets reduce the number of actions from dozens of taps to one or two, removing cognitive load and increasing impulse purchases.
- Reduces checkout steps: payment and shipping auto-filled.
- Builds trust: branded Apple/Google/PayPal buttons carry credibility.
- Improves speed: fewer fields and secure storage means faster checkout.
- Works across returning customers: wallets auto-fill even for new visitors in many cases.
How We Implemented the Change on Shopify
Implementation was straightforward but required attention to a few platform details. Steps we followed:
- Enabled Shopify Payments to access Apple Pay and Google Pay — Shopify requires this to use some accelerated payments.
- Verified our SSL certificate and domain settings (Apple Pay requires a verified domain).
- Turned on accelerated checkout options in Shopify admin and in our theme settings so buttons appear on product and cart pages.
- Placed buttons prominently above the “Add to cart” or in the sticky cart area, ensuring they were visible without scrolling on mobile.
- Tested on multiple devices and browsers to confirm the correct wallet appeared (Apple Pay on Safari, Google Pay on Chrome/Android, etc.).
We also added a small trust note beneath the buttons clarifying “Secure one-tap checkout — no account needed,” which helped reduce hesitation for first-time buyers who weren’t sure what would happen after tapping the wallet button.
The Results and What the Data Showed
After launching the change, we ran a clean A/B test for three weeks. Half our traffic saw the control (standard checkout flow) and half saw the variation with prominent accelerated checkout buttons. The variation produced a 25% increase in completed orders and a 12% increase in average order value.
Key metrics we tracked:
- Conversion rate from product view to purchase: +25% in the variation.
- Mobile conversion rate: +32% (the biggest uplift came from mobile users).
- Time to checkout completion: median time dropped from ~90 seconds to ~20 seconds for accelerated-checkout users.
- Cart abandonment rate: decreased by about 18% for the variation.
Qualitatively, support tickets dropped around “can’t check out” issues, and post-purchase NPS comments mentioned ease of checkout more frequently. The lift was particularly pronounced for lower-priced impulse items where friction usually kills the sale.
Best Practices, Caveats, and Next Steps
While the tweak is powerful, there are a few best practices and caveats to keep in mind so you don’t accidentally harm the experience:
- Don’t hide standard checkout: keep a clear pathway for customers who prefer email/guest checkout or different payment methods.
- Be mindful of international availability: Apple Pay and Google Pay availability varies by country and card networks.
- Test placement: on some themes the button performs better in a sticky footer; on others, above “Add to cart” is best. A/B test positions if possible.
- Consider product types: for high-consideration or configurable products, users may need to input customizations before checkout — ensure buttons don’t bypass necessary choices.
- Privacy and legal: provide clear links to returns, shipping, and policy pages so users feel confident completing purchase via a wallet.
Once the boost settled in, we expanded by adding visual cues (small wallet icons next to prices), optimizing the cart for single-click checkout, and encouraging returning customers to save payment methods via Shopify’s stored cards. We also monitored fraud and chargeback rates — accelerated payments carry the same protections but you should still keep an eye on disputes.
Finally, remember to measure. Implement the change on a segment first or run an A/B test so you can attribute lift accurately rather than relying on coincidence with other promotions.
This single checkout tweak proved that reducing friction and meeting customers where they already store payment details can have an outsized effect on revenue. If you’re on Shopify, enable accelerated checkout, place the buttons where they’re visible without scrolling, and run a short A/B test — you might see a similar lift in conversions. Test it, measure it, and iterate based on how your audience responds.